Dealing with Struggles

We all have struggles in our lives. For some it may be an lifelong issue, such as diabetes. For others, it might be family hardships, relationship problems, or a work situation. The point is, at times, we may all feel alone in our daily struggles. But it is comforting to know that there are other people who feel the same way. And even more so, God is always there listening and loving, all the while making an amazing purpose come out of the pain. I am going to share with you some thoughts that I have been reading in my devotions recently that have been very encouraging to me when dealing with struggle.


"God loves us, so He makes us the gift of suffering. Through suffering, we release our hold on the toys of this world, and know our true good lies in another world. We're like blocks of stone, out of which the sculptor carves the forms of men. The blows of his chisel, which hurt us so much, are what make us perfect. The suffering in this world is not the failure of God's love for us; it is that love in action. For believe me, this world that seems to us so substantial is no more than the shadowlands. Real life has not begun yet." ~ C.S. Lewis  (Thanks to my sister for sharing this quote with me!)


"If God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to 'supply all your needs.'" ~Oswald Chambers


"God is the Master Designer and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly." ~Oswald Chambers


"If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we remove God's riches from our lives and hinder others from entering into His provision." ~Oswald Chambers


"The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding and insistent on our own way." ~Oswald Chambers


"God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them." ~Max Lucado


"The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don't cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don't turn up the TV and pretend they aren't there. Instead, stand still, whisper his name, and listen. He is nearer than you think." ~Max Lucado